Crackdown On Unlicensed Software Intensified

[ingvar]

I have a friend with excessive earwax, should I tell him about the implications?

[mickba]

This is a really nutty one, considering how easy it is to buy pirated versions in the malls. But I don't think the Thai government is stupid with their approach, as cutting out the DVD sales at Prantip etc. won't do a thing really, as all that stuff is just downloaded from the Internet anyway. So are they really that intelligent, to go after the users instead of the sellers? But where would it stop, as some have already suggested: searching student and tourist laptops on the street? Will they start checking serial numbers against purchase orders? How the heck can they possibly regulate at the user end?!? One has to wonder where this is coming from. Perhaps from Micro$oft, with the new release of Win7? Hmmmm....I smell a rat.

They are also tackling that, as per the Pattaya TukCom raid and confiscations.

You are right that most of the pirate discs are just copied from what is available on the internet, but it's getting scary how they're determined to know who is doing what on the net (logs in internet shops etc)and censoring out some websites. Maybe soon they'll know who's been d/l the Bravo "Big Trouble in Thailand" series from Mininova or YouTube.

[Thaiblue]

a new creative way to make money from westerners

... congrats 'thailand's creative economy' you're making money from a new creative source... fines for illegal software - of which the companies will buy licenses for online, direct from the developer, not the local economy.

i must have missed the part where they said they were targeting westeners. it didn't read in the same way to me.

this is nothing new, it happened before and it will happen again.

of course they will only ever be targeting us hard done by westeners!! pffffaaaaaaa (insert sarcasm smiley!!)

Edited November 10, 2009 by Thaiblue

[hungryINbangkok]

let me guess...all of the targeted companies are competing for government contracts...also worth billions...

I seem to recall a recent story concerning new airport trolleys....wonder who's cousin got the job.

[robee]

a new creative way to make money from westerners

... congrats 'thailand's creative economy' you're making money from a new creative source... fines for illegal software - of which the companies will buy licenses for online, direct from the developer, not the local economy.

agree. Fines paid to police, helps those at the top of food chain... Nice

[tmark]

With many IT aware people running small internet cafes starting to switch over to Unbuntu, when the schools follow suit to keep up with their kids the country will find that the free OS revolution has taken place and there will be little for the police to do but address real crime.

Perish the thought.

I'm really sorry to ask , but WHAT is "Unbuntu"

You've obviously never heard of Google either.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&cli...ntu&spell=1

[TheJalapenoKid]

i know quite a big seller of this pirate stuff on Sukhumvit..... the day before his warehouse gets raided, the boys in brown ring him to let him know they are on the way..... nice little earner for them!

[mickba]

...........................Ubuntu: A 'free' operating system alternative to Windows and Office, containing all the applications you need: a web browser, office suite, media applications and bit-torrent client, instant messaging and much more.

Is that so you can get everything else you want from Mininova etc.?

I expect they'll block that soon.

[MegaMik]

I'm really sorry to ask , but WHAT is "Unbuntu"

Ubuntu is another Linux clone.

As I am a software developer, make, sell software in Thailand, I do hope the piracy crackdowns will include illegal copies of my softwares?

But being a cynical individual, I must protect my own company and intellectual property with encryption.

That doesn't mean I have a full proof protection against piracy, when will anyone ever have?

As I am working with software, I would never use piracy software in my own company, I need updates, upgrades and new technology as soon as it's available.

If you want to use other peoples/companies intellectual properties, buy a license.

If you are complaining about Microsoft, why do they have more than 85% of the desktop OS on the market?

To get cheap copies, try the legal way first, look at Microsoft MSDN and Technet subscriptions.

Even if it's not cheap to buy legal software, not as cheap as a illegal copy, you are stealing from people dedicating their lifes and work to make products for you to benefit from, both in your private life as your professional.

Would anyone go and copy books to sell out in the public?

Is software less important and not worth protecting because of the owner is a big company?

But do know one thing, the software stolen around the world aren't just from Microsoft and other big companies.

Small software companies lives on a fine edge of existence.

Personally, I like Open source software a lot, makes me want to do better all the time.

As I have to meet challenges, so does Microsoft, Oracle and all the others.

[mickba]

You've obviously never heard of Google either.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&cli...ntu&spell=1

I did that about 10 posts ago clever clogs.

http://www.ubuntu.com/

[harrycallahan]

As of last week I'm dual booting Ubuntu with Windows on my laptop. For an internet cafe there's not much reason not to use it. Browsing the internet, webmail, multi-protocol chat (inc Messenger). That's 99 % of internet Cafe traffic. Then consider that it runs better on older slower machines, which a lot of these cafes have (and those 512MB ram dinosaurs, and less). Crackdowns like this will be a boon for the open source movement, if people are forced to sample the other side they'll find out they can do without Windows.

[h90]

I wonder if gov't offices have licensed software.

yes but a while ago there was some government software deal, but can't recall the details.

Government software deals are always very corrupt, as the official selling price is very high, but there are no additional production costs if a government buys a 10.000 copies or not.

So a lot space for corruption.

Also I read that Thaksin got some shares from Microsoft (Microsoft-Thailand???) in exchange for promising a crackdown. Can't recall the source.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Yes it's a lot more important than trying to protect people who die on the road because of stupid drunk drivers or other retarded.

[mickba]

I think the raids should be targeted at those computer shops that "repairs" your computer, only to find out that your legal OS has been replaced with a pirated one. There has been no recourse for this theft and should be. ...............

Theft of what? Theft from Microsoft yes, but not froim you.

So you've got a virus or whatever and you take your notebook to the shop. They need to reformat and I've always been asked if I have disc. I said no. I've seen other customers who have brought their disc - no problem.

The trouble is that Dell (same me) and others preload the OS and don't give you a disc. I believe there's a way of recovering the OS but out here, by the time you've said no disc and they've said no problem it's already been re-formatted with a copy OS. You could of course buy another genuine one for 4-5k and then you'd have a disc for next time.

They haven't stolen your original OS tho', if that's what you mean.

[h90]

I recall a news article some years ago when they first started talking about software raids and two types of organizations were exempt from the copyright law at that time, the government and schools/colleges, universities. Wonder if that still holds?

For decades in most western countries it was allowed to make copies for educational purposes.

The most common example the teacher copies some pages from a book.

The background was that socialist thought that education should be free in every way.

That's now also illegal in many countries.

[mythBuster]

I wonder if gov't offices have licensed software.

Most probably they use loads of programs that are pirated. I have seen police offices using pirated windows versions and everything that was running on it. But that is probably always the case, even in Europe I have seen illegal software running on the computers in offices like the IFPI and others.

This situation is however a bit different. It is about an equal playing field for all businesses. You can't allow local firms to work with 100 baht software and foreign firms to work with a software bill of millions of baht. This is not about poor people using pirated software, I can live with poor people who are hungry stealing a bread and poor students stealing some software.

[h90]

I'm really sorry to ask , but WHAT is "Unbuntu"

Ubuntu is another Linux clone.

As I am a software developer, make, sell software in Thailand, I do hope the piracy crackdowns will include illegal copies of my softwares?

But being a cynical individual, I must protect my own company and intellectual property with encryption.

That doesn't mean I have a full proof protection against piracy, when will anyone ever have?

As I am working with software, I would never use piracy software in my own company, I need updates, upgrades and new technology as soon as it's available.

If you want to use other peoples/companies intellectual properties, buy a license.

If you are complaining about Microsoft, why do they have more than 85% of the desktop OS on the market?

To get cheap copies, try the legal way first, look at Microsoft MSDN and Technet subscriptions.

Even if it's not cheap to buy legal software, not as cheap as a illegal copy, you are stealing from people dedicating their lifes and work to make products for you to benefit from, both in your private life as your professional.

Would anyone go and copy books to sell out in the public?

Is software less important and not worth protecting because of the owner is a big company?

But do know one thing, the software stolen around the world aren't just from Microsoft and other big companies.

Small software companies lives on a fine edge of existence.

Personally, I like Open source software a lot, makes me want to do better all the time.

As I have to meet challenges, so does Microsoft, Oracle and all the others.

At: "But do know one thing, the software stolen around the world aren't just from Microsoft and other big companies."

Well if Mr. Somchai with 8000 Baht salary has software for 200.000 Baht on his computer than he hasn't stolen anything. He would never have enough money to buy the original and no one is missing anything.

"stolen" means that you take something from some one who than don't have it anymore. In this case it is just an unlizenced copy.

Different case is the cracked autocad in factories.

[Bearnagh]

Just supposing one wanted to do the honest and upright citizen thing and go shopping to buy genuine copies of MS Office, Photoshop, Windows OS etc etc... where in Thailand might one go with full confidence?

A couple of years ago my wife bought a PC from a very well known and reputable consumer electronics chain store in Chiangmai. Won't name it but suffice to say it's a 'household name' in Thailand. We insisted that the Windows OS was to be a genuine licenced copy. The shop assistant looked quite offended that we should even raise this issue. She made a rather pointed joke of it by saying "Oh this isn't the night bazaar you know - hee hee".

When we got the new PC home and started to use it however, Windows tried to do an update and immediately reported that it was an illegal pirated copy and shut down.

Keynote message in this... even when you make all the effort to find genuine products and think you've bought a genuine article, you may not have. So it does seem rather rough justice that you, who have purchased the goods in good faith, are still deemed to be the criminal party, as opposed to the shop which faked the thing in the first place. Bad Law?

[tmark]

 

Would anyone go and copy books to sell out in the public?  

No .. I don't think so.

Software is relatively easy to copy and reproduce for a small time pirate. Download the torrent .. burn it onto a 1000 or so easily bought CD's/DVD's .. Download a screen shot of the originals box .. print off labels and envelopes .. pop into a plastic bag.

I think you would need a much more complicated and expensive set up to grind out 1000 copied softbacks/hardbacks.

[jelluk]

not sure but do you think the police in pattaya know about the whole floor of copied games software ect in tucom ? bet it will take them 3 years to work that one out ! but if u drive 100 yards down the rd with out your helmet on they will appear from nowhere to stop u for a 'instant' fine ! dont u just love thailand

[asiawatcher]

Same scenario as Thaksin's war on drugs. just call the hotline to get your opposition raided and have their computers confiscated with a hefty fine to get them back

At least they are not shooting anyone ... yet

[h90]

I wonder if gov't offices have licensed software.

Most probably they use loads of programs that are pirated. I have seen police offices using pirated windows versions and everything that was running on it. But that is probably always the case, even in Europe I have seen illegal software running on the computers in offices like the IFPI and others.

This situation is however a bit different. It is about an equal playing field for all businesses. You can't allow local firms to work with 100 baht software and foreign firms to work with a software bill of millions of baht. This is not about poor people using pirated software, I can live with poor people who are hungry stealing a bread and poor students stealing some software.

Again if I steal your bread, I have it, you don't have it anymore.

If I "steal" your software, than I steal the CD, if I just make a copy of it than it is not stohlen as you still have it.

[tmark]

You've obviously never heard of Google either.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&cli...ntu&spell=1

I did that about 10 posts ago clever clogs.

http://www.ubuntu.com/

You forgot to ad "Nah, nah ,nah"

So you obviously think we should all read the entire thread to the end and THEN go back and make our comments/quotes. Righhhhhhhht ! Got it pedantic pants.

 

[asiawatcher]

How ridiculous - raid the seller not the end user! Target the source. But as long as its available - people will buy it. Make the prices realistic for all and then people will be happy to pay for the real thing. Who wants Microsoft anyway - why pay silly prices for such instability and holes in the programs? Bring the prices down and everyone will be happy to waste time on Windows, without fear of having their businesses crippled by seizure of hardware. That is of course if the intent by the Police is real in the first place ...

[Bearnagh]

Yes it's a lot more important than trying to protect people who die on the road because of stupid drunk drivers or other retarded.

Absolutely!! Well said. There are many more urgent and pressing matters of a 'life & death' nature that the police could be turning their attention to. A traffic education and law enforcement regime is desperately needed in this land.

[anon467367354]

interesting response, target the users and not the suppliers. Targeting the suppliers hasn't done anything on the profitable "war on drugs" the US created. The CIA still flies it in and they still arrest the users. Hello? that's it!!! keep the supply coming in, and you have more people to arrest, and more people in jails, and then build more jails, giving more people jobs, and increase the police force, buy more uniforms and police cars, and then increase the taxes to fund this war! Thailand has emerged from the swamp known by many as 3rd world status. Congratulations are in order, or as ordered.

[sedeflonga]

Since when do junkies get prosecuted instead of the dealers? Yes, I agree if there's a company who has millions of baht in assets, that they should buy licensed stuff only. Why are Software-Products not cheaper in Thailand then in Europe/USA? The Game Industry found that and adjusted accordingly. Most games you buy in Thailand (licensed) are much cheaper then in Europe BECAUSE Thai people just have much much less money, simple like that. Only important English Games cost more. Unfortunately most 'big' company's just don't give a shit about it. Yes. They only push their agenda and the local justice system makes the big profit out of it, even they themselves use STOLEN/PIRATED software. I know of two police station which uses Office 2007 copies and have the black (genuine) star on the lower right tray (from windows genuine). If those cops get a call to hunt down copyright offenders what does that mean? A double standard.

There are people who are bad and there are people who are 'bader'.

EDIT: Typos

Edited November 10, 2009 by sedeflonga

[Viper]

M$ are having a massive crackdown - Ive been playing a modified xbox to play pirate games (and this was sold as stock straight off the shelf). It turns out a couple of weeks ago M$ released an Xbox update which you are forced to install when you connect to live. After the install i got a 1 day ban without any reason then the following day my xbox was 'consoled banned' with 'code of misconduct' and will never be able to connect to live and play online ever again. Bang goes another 15'000 baht as my first xbox blue up with the red ring of death. Time to go get a Sony PS3!!

[h90]

Just supposing one wanted to do the honest and upright citizen thing and go shopping to buy genuine copies of MS Office, Photoshop, Windows OS etc etc... where in Thailand might one go with full confidence?

A couple of years ago my wife bought a PC from a very well known and reputable consumer electronics chain store in Chiangmai. Won't name it but suffice to say it's a 'household name' in Thailand. We insisted that the Windows OS was to be a genuine licenced copy. The shop assistant looked quite offended that we should even raise this issue. She made a rather pointed joke of it by saying "Oh this isn't the night bazaar you know - hee hee".

When we got the new PC home and started to use it however, Windows tried to do an update and immediately reported that it was an illegal pirated copy and shut down.

Keynote message in this... even when you make all the effort to find genuine products and think you've bought a genuine article, you may not have. So it does seem rather rough justice that you, who have purchased the goods in good faith, are still deemed to be the criminal party, as opposed to the shop which faked the thing in the first place. Bad Law?

And your copy might have been genuine, I read from a a lot people that they got the problem with a real original version. One person got it twice, a second time with the same software on the same computer on the same installation after clearing the first case already with Microsoft.

Still it says it is not original

[Viper]

As far as pirated software goes - It will always be available in what ever shape or form. If i buy a genuine copy, ide crack it and upload it to a torrent server to make it freely available to everyone. I am a dedicated Linux user and most of us guy believe in 'open source software'